Posts Tagged ‘signs’

Stephen Andrews POV

Posted: August 13, 2015 in galleries
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Stephen Andrews POV
an exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario

Stephen Andrews is a Toronto artist whose career began in photography and the exhibit now on at the AGO does include a few excellent 8×10 photographs.  The main part of the exhibit though are approximately 20 (mostly large) paintings of his.

A room in an art gallery with white walls and three large paintings on it. A woman is taking a picture of one of them with a camera. The paintings consist of large rectangles
  below: ‘X-men at Union’, 2013, oil on canvas
Construction workers at Union Station, Toronto

rtwork picture of two construction workers wearing orange and yellow safety vests as they walk into a building that is being renovated

below: ‘After Before/After After’ oil on wood panels
The two paintings on the wall were based on landscapes by J.M.W. Turner that depicted scenes before and after the flood described in the bible (or before and after chaos).  Andrews has painted his with dots in only four colours, yellow, magenta, cyan and black

An open book on a pedestal, a large picture of a painting on each page. Two paintings on a wall directly behind the book. The paintings on the wall are replicas of the ones in the book .

below: detail from ‘Crossing’, 2011, oil on canvas

close up of a painting of a large number of railway crossing signs.

below: close up of part of ‘Entrance/Exit’, 2014, oil on canvas

close up of a slightly abstract painting of a person about to go through a revolving door in a glass wall

Neighbourhood watch good guys

Posted: July 31, 2015 in graffiti and street art
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Watching over some of Toronto’s streets are a number of ‘good guys’ from TV series, video games,  and movies.  These first appeared a little over a year ago.  In fact, they were mentioned in most of the Toronto media last summer.  Although I had heard of them before, I only recently noticed a few of them.

below: just south of Dupont Street, Steven Seagal

An altered Neighbourhood Watch sign. A picture of a man looking over the top of his sunglasses has been added to the sign.

There are now more than 75 (or even 90?) pictures glued on to existing Neighbourhood Watch signs.
They are the work of Andrew Lamb, a pseudonym.

below: In Kensington, Wesley Snipes as Blade

An altered Neighbourhood Watch sign. A picture of a black man wearing sunglasses and with a machine gun on his back

below: Xena the warrior princess watches over Vermont Ave.

An altered Neighbourhood Watch sign. A woman. Xena the warrior princess character.

 below: On Roxton Road, Agents Mulder and Scully from the TV series, the X Files.

An altered Neighbourhood Watch sign. A man and a woman, agents Mulder and Scully from the TV series X Files

below:  A faded picture of a group of Transformers on Palmerston Blvd.

An altered Neighbourhood Watch sign. A faded picture of a large group of transformers, the superheros from the old TV series.

below: Super Grover from Sesame Street on Wright Ave (near Roncesvalles)

altered Neighbourhood Watch sign, Grover from Sesame Street in a superhero costume flying through the sky

below: Mel Gibson as Martin Riggs and Danny Glover as Roger Murtaugh, good guys from the ‘Lethal Weapon’ movies, watch over Atkins Avenue.

Neighbourhood watch sign by Atkins Ave.., picture of Mel Gibson and Danny Glover has been pasted on it, two actors from Lethal Weapons movies.

below: Samus Aran from the Nintendo video game Metroid

An altered Neighbourhood Watch sign. A picture of a superhero dressed head to toe in pink (or is it faded rad?) and holding a large weapon has been added to the sign

below: Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in the ‘Alien’ movies

Neighbourhood watch sign with picture of Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in 'Aliens, carrying a child and a very big gun

below: The Thunderbirds from the 1960s British TV series watch over the north end of Borden Street.  They were part of International Rescue, an international life saving organization and their story was told using electronic marionettes and scale models.

blog_neighbourhood_watch_space_animation

 

below: Grace Jones and Arnold Schwarzenegger in ‘Conan the Destroyer’

Neighbourhood watch sign with Grace Jones and Arnold Schwarzenegger from the movie 'Conan the Destroyer'
This is only a small sample of the heroes that adorn our streets.  Maybe you have seen some of the others – Batman, Nancy Drew, the Hulk, Robocop, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Yoda, and even Bill Cosby as Cliff Huxtable.   As I researched these signs I found them online so if you haven’t seen them on the streets, here is the link to the website that has photos of them all.

jobs, justice and climate action

Posted: July 6, 2015 in events
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Protest, rally and march
from Queens Park to Allan Gardens,
5 July 2015

jobs, justice and climate action protest march - the lead banner of the march. It says Jobs, Justice and the Climate. It is red with white letters and is almost the full width of the street. A few drummers and dancers are in front of the banner. Many people with signs and flags are behind the banner.
jobs, justice and climate action protest march - a man is making large bubbles that float towards the front of the parade.

below:  A protester prepares to carry a large effigy of Kathleen Wynne, leader of the provincial Liberal party, with the help of some colleagues.

A couple of people are helping a woman prepare to wear a large effigy. A very large head of a woman wearing dark rimmed glasses.

below: David Suzuki being interviewed by CTV.

David Suzuki is being interviewed by a man from CTV. A few people are standing behind.

Three young women are making signs to carry in the protest march. Two are in green T-shirts. One of the signs says '73 North Americans own the same as 1/2 the continent.' Jobs, Justice and Climate protest rally and march.

A person wearing a sign that says 'Another photographer marching for #jobsjusticeclimate on his back.

At a protest rally, two women are posing for a picture. One has a large cut out around her face that makes her face look like a large yellow flower

a groupd of young people standing beside a large yellow banner that says 'Youth marching for Climate Justice' at a protest rally in front of the Ontario parliament buildings.

below: The base of Sir John A. Macdonald’s statue provides a step up for photographers
(It looks like only some of them wanted to take my picture!)

Many photographers are standing on the base of a statue while they wait for a protest march to begin in Toronto at Queens Park

Two people with protest signs on their backs. One says 'Act like you live here' and the second says 'Stop Debating, Start acting'

A group of people at a protest rally. Somone is holding up a sign with a picture of Stephen Harper neck deep in water with the words, 'What climate change blub blub blub'

At the jobs, justice and climate action protest rally, a man wearing a hat that looks like an owl head. He's carrying a sign that says 'Give a hoot'
  below:  ‘Protect Turtle Island’ signs waiting for the march to begin.  North America is referred to as Turtle Island by many Native tribes, Native rights activists, and environmental groups.

A large parachute shaped piece of fabric in bright orange and white lies flat on the ground. In it are three signs waiting for people to begin marching in the jobs, justice and climate change march. The signs say 'Protect Turtle Island'

A group of people holding a large red banner that says 'Canadian Unitarians for social justice'

Three women at a protest rally.

A young girl in a bright red Tshirt runs in front of some protesters, one of whom is holding a sign that says Hope.

At the jobs, justice and climate action protest rally, four people hold a banner that says 'TTC riders, a voice for ttc riders' and it has a picture of a street car on it as well.

below:  $15 now refers to raising the minimum wage to $15/hour

jobs, justice and climate action protest march - a man is holding a sign that says $15 Now. It is white with red letters. It stands out because most of the signs around him are all bright red.

jobs, justice and climate action protest march - a group of people at Queens Park, the back of the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald can be seen. One woman is holding a sign that says Jobs Justice Climate. Another person holds up a picture of Pope Francis. They are all getting ready to march down University Ave.

below: After the rally at Queens Park, protesters marched south on University Ave.
and then east on Dundas St.

policemen on bikes block the street as they direct a march through city streets

jobs, justice and climate action protest march - some of the people marching, a white haired man is holding an orange flag that says Socialistworld.net Some people are walking their bikes.

A man is walking in a protest march while holding one end of a banner. He is wearing a large yellow chicken head and a T shirt that says 'this is what a vegan looks like'

two women are walking in the jobs, justice and climate action march in Toronto and both are carrying signs. One has a large peace symbol and the words 'vegan for life' and the the other sign says 'animal agriculture is responsible for 91 percent of amazon rainforest destruction

A number of women in a protest march, each is holding a different coloured sign and each has a different letter - together they spell 'yes we can'. Each women is also wearing a coloured box that matches the colour of her sign and each box represents a differ aspect of social policy such as gender equality, primary education, poverty eradication, healthcare,

A diverse group of people walk in a protest march in Toronto

A man in a red shirt pumps his fist in the air as he walks in a protest march

A man is holding up a protest sign with Prime Minister Stephen Harper's head on three monkeys along with the worsd, Hear no science, speak no science, see no science.

Marchers on the jobs, justice and climate action protest march who are carrying a large orange banner that says We have solutions.

 

Two middle aged men walking a in protest. One of them has a sign that says 'radicalized by Harper'

A large number of people walking in a protest march carrying signs and banners

A man wearing a green party T-shirt is carry a large sign that says 'carbon tax yes'. There are other green party supporters with him as they walk in a protest march in Toronto

jobs, justice and climate action protest march on University Ave showing many people walking. Two are holding large white signs with orange letters. One says Let hope prevail. The other says There is no Planet B.

jobs, justice and climate action protest march - a young woman in a head scarf holds a red and white sign, the woman behind her is wearing a floppy hat and there is a sign that says Be Brave in large capital letters above her head.

anti bill C-51protest

Posted: March 14, 2015 in events
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Stop Bill C-51 Protest and Rally
Nathan Phillips Square, noon, Saturday 14 March

It was a foggy and damp morning before the protest.

Nathan Phillips square on a foggy wet day. Greyness. There are a few people under the stage overhang but otherwise the square is empty
but the rain held off once the rally started.

View of a protest from the back of a stage. The backs of 4 photographers is to the camera. They are taking pics of the crowd.

A young woman is holding a piece of white fabric on which words have been printed: "Fuck bill C-51" is in larger letters.

“Protect our Charter Rights. Fuck you Harper”

 

Two young girls are holding protest signs. One says "Stop Harpers Secret Police" and the other says "Stop C51".

Stop C51″. “Stop Harper’s secret police”

 

A coalition of groups under the banner of StopC51.ca organized a “National Day of Action”.  Included in the events were protest rallys in cities across Canada. 

crowd shot at a protest

A group of 3 people. A woman on the right is holding a purplish grey umbrella. The other 2 people are holding protest signs.

People at a protest rally. One man has duct tape over his mouth and he is holding a placard that says "Citizen journalism will be silenced by Bill C-51"

“Citizen journalism will be silenced by Bill C-51”

 

A man is holding a placard that says Don't Let the Terror Win at a protest

“Don’t let the terror win”

 

A protester is holding a hand written sign that says #rejectfear

#rejectfear

 

A man is handing out protest signs that say "Say no to Islamophobia"

“Say no to Islamophobia. Say no to war.”

A crowd of people at a Canadian protest rally

A boy on his mother's shoulders is holding a sign with a picture of Lisa on it.

The other side of the Lisa Simpson sign are the words “I don’t want a big brother”

 

protesters at a rally.

A group of people around Henry Moore's sculpture "the Archer" in Nathan Phillips Square. They are there for the anti Bill C51 protest. A couple are sitting and talking to each other. Others are standing under umbrellas.

blog_bill_grannys

The Toronto Raging Grannies were also there with their own unique sound.

 

Photograph ers are shooting a man who has a flag around his neck

signs lying on the steps as people walk around.

“Not the Canada we want or need”

city under siege

Posted: January 2, 2015 in general Toronto
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Construction, it’s everywhere.
I’m not sure if it’s my imagination but 2014 seemed to be the year that the city was torn apart in the name of changes, development and/or improvements.

A white hard hat sits on the end of a large wooden spool. Blue gas cylinders are behind it.

on break

How many cranes are in the sky?

downtown cityscape with tall buildings as well as the CN Tower. Lots of construction cranes in the picture.

looking towards the CN Tower from Soho St., just north of Queen West.

Men on a crane working above a hole in the ground where a new condo is being built.

Yet another crane at work, on Adelaide West.

How many kilometres of road have been dug up or blocked off?

Yonge street is closed by a large crane that is parked in the middle of the street.

Yonge north of Davisville one summer day.  Removing a crane that was used in condo construction.

Near Eglinton West subway station. Construction of the Eglinton LRT impacts traffic on Eglinton Ave.

Near Eglinton West subway station. Construction of the Eglinton LRT affects traffic on Eglinton Ave.

Cars trying to merge from three lanes to one. Large sign with arrow pointing left. Tall buildings on either side of the street. Yellow leaves on the trees because it is October.

Adelaide St. West

a section of city street is being renovated. The pavement has been removed, construction equipment and vehicles are in the picture. There is a 'road closed' sign.

Another street under repair.  York St., looking south towards Queen St. and Richmond St.

How many holes have been dug?

A construction site, hole in the ground, large yellow crane, red dump trunk and a large fence around the site. A church is in the background.

Dufferin and Adelaide

How many orange and black cones adorn our streets?

Black and orange traffic cones along with a yellow fence block traffic from entering a construction site at an intersection where new street car tracks are being laid.

New streetcar tracks at King and Sumach.

How many kilometres of fencing have been erected?

construction site surrounded by both metal fence and blue mesh fence

double fenced

How many years will it take to finish Union Station?

looking west on Front St. towards Union Station. Construction equipment is in the foreground of the photo. The CN tower is in the background.

Looking west on Front St.  The renovation and upgrade of Union Station and it’s impact on Front Street has been ongoing for a long time now. Maybe one day it will be finished!

What construction will 2015 bring? 

grammar?

Posted: September 22, 2014 in general Toronto
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Considering the number of different languages spoken in this city, it is not surprising that some signs have English grammar mistakes.  It is the official signs with incorrect grammar that make me shake my head.

Sign by a sidewalk that says Please do not chain your bicycle to the lamp post. Will be removed immediately at owner's expense. Large condo towers are behind the sign.

Lack of subject makes for an incomplete sentence, not to mention some confusion. Something will be removed.

Sign on a wood fence by a park that says, Dogs that dig holes must have owners fill them in immediately.

If only dogs could read.

A sign on a fence beside a driveway that says Please don't parking on driveway.

don’t parking

A pink sign that has been taped with green tape beside the entrance of a shop that says We open. Please come in.

we open

 

dyke march

Posted: June 29, 2014 in events, people
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The march finally got underway…..

Here is the first  sample of the photos that I took as it passed by.

A crowd of people are watching the parade from the sidewalk. Some are sitting on the kerb and some are standing behind.
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Three girls are walking in the parade
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Two women are walking in the parade. Both are holding signs. One says End Transmysogyny. The other says Some Dykes have Dicks.

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A woman, wearing a sash that says Ms. International Leather is running towards the camera. She is holding a flag that is white and blue. A few other women are walking behind. There are crowds lined along the sidewalk.
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blog_march_red

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In the foreground of the photo is the back of a woman's head. She has long wavy reddish hair and she is wearing a garland of flowers in her hair. In the background are motorcycles in the parade.
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A group of men is standing beside the street, watching the parade. One is using his phone to take a photo. One is leaning his head back and laughing.
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Two women on a red motorcycle. The one in front is topless and wearing a black helmet. She has her fist in the air.
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A crowd is watching the parade from the sidewalk. Motorcycles are passing by
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A woman with a camera around her neck and carrying a yellow umbrella is walking down the street

******

ford love-in at City Hall

Posted: November 13, 2013 in events
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Anti Rob Ford protest

A cold but clear November afternoon at Nathan Phillips Square.

people, signs, cameras, writing, chanting, speeches, media.

Protesters at a rally, from behind. Two people are holding signs. One sign says Step Down and the the other sign says Or Fall Over

Step down or fall over.

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A man is writing with chalk on a grey concrete wall.

The city’s budget has gone up! Every year Rob has been in office.

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Nathan Phillips Square from the upper walkway, looking down at the crowd that has gathered for the protest

Nathan Phillips Square about 1:00 p.m.

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A couple is holding an orange sign that says Councillors fix this mess now. P.S. I vote.

There was a good mix of people there, young and old.

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A large group of protesters

View of the crowd from part way up the steps just before they moved towards the front door of City Hall.

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A woman is holding a sign that says Sh*!show RoFo has got to GO. In the background there is a man who has a sign with a picture of the man from the Monopoly game showing that his pockets are empty.

Many creative signs.  RoFo, the man from Monopoly, gravy train…..

A protester is holding a sign that says It's not about the drugs, it's about the lies. In the distance, a security guard watches from above

It’s not about the drugs, it’s about the lies.

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Two people are writing words in chalk on a concrete wall. A woman is standing on a garbage bin so that she can reach higher up on the wall.

Writing on the wall, about 12:40. I am not sure when the writing started, but when I first got to Nathan Phillips Square there wasn’t too much on the wall yet.

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A man is walking past holding up a sign that says Gravy Train? What about Leadership? In the background people are writing on the wall.

Of chalk and signs

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A man is writing words on the concrete wall beside the ramp at Nathan Phillips Square.

A little bit later, a few more words on the wall as well as on the ground.   Sashay away!  Fraud Nation.  No to Drugs.  Harper + Ford = Corruption.  Help yourself & help Toronto, Step Down.

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A man is writing in orange and blue chalk. Old City Hall is in the background.

You smoked your own pipe.  More writing on the upper wall.

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A woman is writing Get Help in purple and yellow chalk, on the ground

I assume that it became “Get Help”

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A man is writing on the concrete ground as part of the crowd watches him.

Etobicoke, Ford Co. most wanted.

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Protesters holding signs.

another view of the crowd

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Two woman are holding bright orange signs.

…finally!

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A man and a woman are holding a very large sign with a picture of Rob Ford's face on it.

Resting on the Archer

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Two people are writing on the wall, a woman has stopped to watch them and a man is taking their picture.

Protesters, spectators and photographers.  There were a lot of photographers!  A lot of media, print, radio  and television, were there too.  Newstalk 1010 (where the Ford brothers had their radio show) had at least one person walking around with a microphone.

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A man holds a megaphone in one hand and a sign that says Say No To Corruption in the other hand.

Leading the chants

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A picture of the cafe that is beside Nathan Phillips Square. There are people sitting inside who are looking at the protest. The protest can also be seen reflected in the glass.

Looking at the ones inside while the ones outside are reflected back

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A man with a sign with lots of words on it is talking to a woman wearing a grey scarf.

wanted, A new Mayor!  asap

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A woman is writing Pathetic Leave Toronto in coloured chalk on the concrete ground in the middle of the square.

Writing in the square.

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A man in a bright orange hat and holding a protest sign, is taking a photo with his phone.

I got him and he got me (I probably got the better photo!)

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#savetoronto  #topoli  #robford

With thanks to the Starbucks at Queen and Victoria where I was able to park myself and my laptop while I put this blog together.   Wifi and an electrical outlet for the price of a tall coffee, can’t beat it.

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